Manor College of Technology
Encyclopedia
Manor College of Technology is a secondary
school in the Owton Manor area of Hartlepool
, County Durham
. It is a 'coeducational comprehensive' school, and caters for students aged 11–16.
The College has approximately 1326 students and emphasizes examinations, high standards of discipline, full school uniform, and extra-curricular activities. It has a strong sports tradition and also has Creative and Performing Arts, Brass Band, Orchestra and Choir and produces annually a stage production, a formal carol service in a local church and two major concerts. The junior choir performed at the National Festival of Music at Queen Elizabeth Hall
, London in 1999. The senior chamber choir performed in Notre Dame Cathedral in 2005 and in Yankee Stadium
, the Lincoln Theatre
and the Empire State Building
during an Easter
visit to New York
in 2006.
In 2003 the College was selected by the National Theatre
to premiere a play which was performed at the Theatre Royal
in Newcastle. The College repeated this in 2004 with performances of ‘The Musicians’. It received the Arts Council’s 'Arts Mark' (Silver) in 2005, in recognition of its achievements in this area of the curriculum.
and the College has wireless network
, data projectors, interactive whiteboards and video-conferencing facilities.
In 2003 the College was designated as a DfES ‘Associate School’ for ICT (Information Communications Technology) development. The students can now use in excess of 400 computers across the school. The College is a pilot centre, nationally, for the new 'Diploma in Digital Applications' (DIDA).
In 2002/03 Manor’s director of e-Learning created a software package, “Vital Statistics”, which is aimed specifically at GCSE Statistics candidates. This product, created and designed in partnership with a commercial software company, has attracted national and international attention with Malaysia, India, Singapore, Dubai and Syria. Cambridge – Hitachi are marketing the product on behalf of Manor.
The College has set up ‘MOLE’ – the Manor On-Line Learning Experience.
The College is working with the DfES, the Specialist Schools Trust, the Nuffield Foundation
and the Learning and Skills Council
to promote e-Learning initiatives. In 2003, the College hosted a national conference which was attended by the University of Cambridge
and the Royal Statistical Society
.
The DfES Innovation Unit are encouraging Manor College to become one of the United Kingdom's 'e-Learning' schools. The College’s e-Learning initiatives and other curriculum innovations are gathered together under the title “Vital Education”. The College has established a company, Vital Education Ltd, which is a charitable trust
aimed at generating funds to reinvest in education.
The College’s work in this area of the curriculum was commended by Rt. Hon. Peter Mandelson
MP in the House of Commons in July 2003. The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Rt. Hon. Charles Clarke MP, endorsed Mr. Mandelson’s statement by applauding Manor’s work, stating:
Manor’s pre eminence in ICT, Maths & Statistics has resulted in the school being designated as the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust’s 'Regional Centre of Excellence'. The Director of e-learning is the Trust’s National Co-ordinator for the Leading Maths Practitioners Initiative.
A £1 million e-learning – Technology Centre was constructed in 2005 and provides facilities for staff, students and the community. Teachers from all over the UK have received CPD in the new centre.
and Wales
. Manor is Hartlepool’s highest performing school, and in 2004-06 produced the best performances by any Hartlepool school since the LEA’s inception in 1996.
In 2006 the College achieved 73%. It appeared in the DfES '100 Most Improved Schools' list three consecutive years, reaching the top ten in 2005. In 2005 The Specialist Schools Trust ranked Manor as the 12th most improved Specialist School in the country. Manor’s Contextual Value Added
score is ‘1’, on a scale of 1-100, placing the College among the highest performing schools in England. Manor is the only specialist school in the Tees Valley
to have membership of The SSAT’s three ‘clubs’; the '70%+ Club', the 'Most Improved Club' and the 'Most Value Added Club'.
Manor College was designated as a SSAT Mentor School in 2004-5 and the Headteacher is one of the Trust’s 30 Consultant Headteachers.
Manor focus's on the development of 'thinking skills'. Children have their individual learning styles assessed and staff are aware of this information. The ‘Accelerated Learning’ team are examine new teaching styles and disseminate good practice across the College. The QCA’s Key Skills courses are available online.
Manor College has five 'Year leaders' under the direction of the deputy Headteacher and the Director of Children’s Services. Year leaders retain responsibility for their 'Year groups' but have a more clearly defined remit regarding academic monitoring.
Manor subscribes to the government’s ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda and OFSTED
described the College’s care for its students as ‘outstanding’.
In 1997 the College instituted a Student Council which meets each half term with the Headteacher to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern. The College has a well-developed Prefect
system and the eight Senior Prefects meet with the Headteacher every fortnight in addition to having numerous diplomatic and representative responsibilities. The College Council is also Hartlepool’s Junior Rotary Club (Interact club).
Manor College has been inspected on three occasions (in November 1994 , November 1999 and November 2005) and on each occasion the Registered Inspectors have been extremely complimentary. In 1999 the Inspection could not identify any key issues - the ultimate compliment from any OFSTED team . In 2005 Manor was judged to be outstanding (Grade 1) by HMI and OFSTED and is one of only five schools in the North East to achieve this standard.
There are 73(FTE)(2006) teachers at Manor College, giving a teacher/student ratio of less than 1:15. The College has detailed policy documents and procedures relating to performance management, induction and staff development. The College’s work in this area was recognised in 1997 when the College received ‘Investors in People’ status. It was re-accredited for the third time in 2004.
The school has a music and science block and has achieved Yamaha Music School
status. Sport has a high profile and a successful bid to the Football Association enabled them to create a changing complex, completed in 2003. The College has FA Charter status and is the regional centre for the development of boys and girls football. Hartlepool United’s 'School of Excellence' is based at Manor College.
The College has a senior management team of nine, including the Headteacher, a Deputy Headteacher, six Assistant Headteachers and the College Bursar. It received the European Foundation for Quality Management’s (EFQM) Award for 'Excellence in the Public Sector'.
Manor College has partnerships with the universities of Durham and Sunderland
.
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
school in the Owton Manor area of Hartlepool
Hartlepool
Hartlepool is a town and port in North East England.It was founded in the 7th century AD, around the Northumbrian monastery of Hartlepool Abbey. The village grew during the Middle Ages and developed a harbour which served as the official port of the County Palatine of Durham. A railway link from...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
. It is a 'coeducational comprehensive' school, and caters for students aged 11–16.
Students
The College's students come from outlying villages and from both private and council housing estates. The school became a designated DfES Technology College in 1998 and changed its name from Manor School to Manor College of Technology to reflect the new status.The College has approximately 1326 students and emphasizes examinations, high standards of discipline, full school uniform, and extra-curricular activities. It has a strong sports tradition and also has Creative and Performing Arts, Brass Band, Orchestra and Choir and produces annually a stage production, a formal carol service in a local church and two major concerts. The junior choir performed at the National Festival of Music at Queen Elizabeth Hall
Queen Elizabeth Hall
The Queen Elizabeth Hall is a music venue on the South Bank in London, United Kingdom that hosts daily classical, jazz, and avant-garde music and dance performances. The QEH forms part of Southbank Centre arts complex and stands alongside the Royal Festival Hall, which was built for the Festival...
, London in 1999. The senior chamber choir performed in Notre Dame Cathedral in 2005 and in Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
, the Lincoln Theatre
Lincoln Theatre
Lincoln Theater Napa Valley in Yountville, California, on the grounds of the California Veterans Home in Napa County, California. The 1214 seat theater is the performance venue of the Napa Regional Dance Company and home of the Napa Valley Symphony. Originally opened in 1957, it underwent a $20...
and the Empire State Building
Empire State Building
The Empire State Building is a 102-story landmark skyscraper and American cultural icon in New York City at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and West 34th Street. It has a roof height of 1,250 feet , and with its antenna spire included, it stands a total of 1,454 ft high. Its name is derived...
during an Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
visit to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 2006.
In 2003 the College was selected by the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
to premiere a play which was performed at the Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal
Theatre Royal is the name of many theatres, especially in the United Kingdom. The name was once an indication that the theatre was a patent theatre, with a Royal Patent without which performances of serious drama would be illegal.United Kingdom:...
in Newcastle. The College repeated this in 2004 with performances of ‘The Musicians’. It received the Arts Council’s 'Arts Mark' (Silver) in 2005, in recognition of its achievements in this area of the curriculum.
E-learning
In 1994, Manor was awarded 'Technology Initiative School' status. Following the College’s successful bid for 'Single Regeneration' funds in 1995, the College was able to significantly upgrade its design technology and ICT facilities, including the introduction of video-conferencing and improved internet provision. Staff each have their own laptopLaptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
and the College has wireless network
Wireless network
Wireless network refers to any type of computer network that is not connected by cables of any kind. It is a method by which homes, telecommunications networks and enterprise installations avoid the costly process of introducing cables into a building, or as a connection between various equipment...
, data projectors, interactive whiteboards and video-conferencing facilities.
In 2003 the College was designated as a DfES ‘Associate School’ for ICT (Information Communications Technology) development. The students can now use in excess of 400 computers across the school. The College is a pilot centre, nationally, for the new 'Diploma in Digital Applications' (DIDA).
In 2002/03 Manor’s director of e-Learning created a software package, “Vital Statistics”, which is aimed specifically at GCSE Statistics candidates. This product, created and designed in partnership with a commercial software company, has attracted national and international attention with Malaysia, India, Singapore, Dubai and Syria. Cambridge – Hitachi are marketing the product on behalf of Manor.
The College has set up ‘MOLE’ – the Manor On-Line Learning Experience.
The College is working with the DfES, the Specialist Schools Trust, the Nuffield Foundation
Nuffield Foundation
The Nuffield Foundation is a British charitable trust, established in 1943 by William Morris , the founder of the Morris Motor Company. Lord Nuffield wanted to contribute to improvements in society, including the expansion of education and the alleviation of disadvantage...
and the Learning and Skills Council
Learning and Skills Council
The Learning and Skills Council was a non-departmental public body jointly sponsored by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the Department for Children, Schools and Families in England...
to promote e-Learning initiatives. In 2003, the College hosted a national conference which was attended by the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
and the Royal Statistical Society
Royal Statistical Society
The Royal Statistical Society is a learned society for statistics and a professional body for statisticians in the UK.-History:It was founded in 1834 as the Statistical Society of London , though a perhaps unrelated London Statistical Society was in existence at least as early as 1824...
.
The DfES Innovation Unit are encouraging Manor College to become one of the United Kingdom's 'e-Learning' schools. The College’s e-Learning initiatives and other curriculum innovations are gathered together under the title “Vital Education”. The College has established a company, Vital Education Ltd, which is a charitable trust
Charitable trust
A charitable trust is an irrevocable trust established for charitable purposes, and is a more specific term than "charitable organization".-United States:...
aimed at generating funds to reinvest in education.
The College’s work in this area of the curriculum was commended by Rt. Hon. Peter Mandelson
Peter Mandelson
Peter Benjamin Mandelson, Baron Mandelson, PC is a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool from 1992 to 2004, served in a number of Cabinet positions under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, and was a European Commissioner...
MP in the House of Commons in July 2003. The Secretary of State for Education and Skills, Rt. Hon. Charles Clarke MP, endorsed Mr. Mandelson’s statement by applauding Manor’s work, stating:
“Manor College are behaving in an entirely innovatory way in an outstanding application of Information Communications Technology with different partnerships outside the school which is focused on raising educational standards”.
Rt. Hon. Charles Clarke MP (formerly) Secretary of State for Education and Skills
Manor’s pre eminence in ICT, Maths & Statistics has resulted in the school being designated as the Specialist Schools & Academies Trust’s 'Regional Centre of Excellence'. The Director of e-learning is the Trust’s National Co-ordinator for the Leading Maths Practitioners Initiative.
A £1 million e-learning – Technology Centre was constructed in 2005 and provides facilities for staff, students and the community. Teachers from all over the UK have received CPD in the new centre.
Curriculum
Key Stage 4 students are able to select from a variety of 'free options' including courses within Health and Social Care, Leisure and Tourism and Art and Design. The curriculum was selected by QCA as an example of good practice and was included in a national publication distributed to schools in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. Manor is Hartlepool’s highest performing school, and in 2004-06 produced the best performances by any Hartlepool school since the LEA’s inception in 1996.
In 2006 the College achieved 73%. It appeared in the DfES '100 Most Improved Schools' list three consecutive years, reaching the top ten in 2005. In 2005 The Specialist Schools Trust ranked Manor as the 12th most improved Specialist School in the country. Manor’s Contextual Value Added
Contextual value added
Contextual value added is a statistic used by the government of the United Kingdom to assess the performance of schools.The statistic is intended to show the progress children have made whilst attending a particular school...
score is ‘1’, on a scale of 1-100, placing the College among the highest performing schools in England. Manor is the only specialist school in the Tees Valley
Tees Valley
The Tees Valley is an area in the North East of England. It can be described as "greater Teesside" and consists of the four unitary authorities created by the breakup of the County of Cleveland in 1996: Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar & Cleveland, and Stockton-On-Tees along with the borough of...
to have membership of The SSAT’s three ‘clubs’; the '70%+ Club', the 'Most Improved Club' and the 'Most Value Added Club'.
Manor College was designated as a SSAT Mentor School in 2004-5 and the Headteacher is one of the Trust’s 30 Consultant Headteachers.
Manor focus's on the development of 'thinking skills'. Children have their individual learning styles assessed and staff are aware of this information. The ‘Accelerated Learning’ team are examine new teaching styles and disseminate good practice across the College. The QCA’s Key Skills courses are available online.
Manor College has five 'Year leaders' under the direction of the deputy Headteacher and the Director of Children’s Services. Year leaders retain responsibility for their 'Year groups' but have a more clearly defined remit regarding academic monitoring.
Manor subscribes to the government’s ‘Every Child Matters’ agenda and OFSTED
Ofsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
described the College’s care for its students as ‘outstanding’.
In 1997 the College instituted a Student Council which meets each half term with the Headteacher to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern. The College has a well-developed Prefect
Prefect
Prefect is a magisterial title of varying definition....
system and the eight Senior Prefects meet with the Headteacher every fortnight in addition to having numerous diplomatic and representative responsibilities. The College Council is also Hartlepool’s Junior Rotary Club (Interact club).
Manor College has been inspected on three occasions (in November 1994 , November 1999 and November 2005) and on each occasion the Registered Inspectors have been extremely complimentary. In 1999 the Inspection could not identify any key issues - the ultimate compliment from any OFSTED team . In 2005 Manor was judged to be outstanding (Grade 1) by HMI and OFSTED and is one of only five schools in the North East to achieve this standard.
There are 73(FTE)(2006) teachers at Manor College, giving a teacher/student ratio of less than 1:15. The College has detailed policy documents and procedures relating to performance management, induction and staff development. The College’s work in this area was recognised in 1997 when the College received ‘Investors in People’ status. It was re-accredited for the third time in 2004.
The school has a music and science block and has achieved Yamaha Music School
Yamaha Music Foundation
The Yamaha Music Foundation is an organization established by the authority of the Japanese Ministry of Education for the purpose of promoting music education and music popularization...
status. Sport has a high profile and a successful bid to the Football Association enabled them to create a changing complex, completed in 2003. The College has FA Charter status and is the regional centre for the development of boys and girls football. Hartlepool United’s 'School of Excellence' is based at Manor College.
The College has a senior management team of nine, including the Headteacher, a Deputy Headteacher, six Assistant Headteachers and the College Bursar. It received the European Foundation for Quality Management’s (EFQM) Award for 'Excellence in the Public Sector'.
Manor College has partnerships with the universities of Durham and Sunderland
University of Sunderland
The University of Sunderland is located in Sunderland, north east England. The university has more than 17,500 students, including 7,000-plus international students from some 70 countries....
.
Notable alumni
- Adam BoydAdam BoydAdam Mark Boyd is an English footballer, who plays for Hartlepool United in the English Football League One. Boyd plays as a striker and started off playing in school while attending Grange Primary School, in his hometown of Hartlepool....
, footballer - Lindsay JohnsonLindsay JohnsonLindsay Johnson is an English footballer, currently playing for Everton Ladies. She has represented England at full international level. Johnson is a versatile defender, with the ability to play in any of the defensive positions.-Early life:...
, footballer who plays for the England women's national football teamEngland women's national football teamThe England women's national football team represents England in international women's football. The side has been quite successful of late, qualifying for three World Cups, 1995, 2007 and 2011...
.